Deck the halls with boughs of savings!
If you’re looking for ways to stay within in your budget this holiday season, look no further. Jodi Furman – smart shopper extraordinaire and the lady behind fabuLESS – has great tons of tips to help you save money while checking all the boxes on your holiday gift list.
1. Pile on the Deals
Whenever possible “stack,” or combine, discounts on top of discounts. Why not stack a coupon on something that’s already marked down or on clearance to amp up your savings? If shopping online, check to see if stores offer cash back just for clicking on a cash back site like ebates.com or shopathome.com.
2. Make Sure You Get the Best Price Out There!
Many stores will accept competitors’ coupons as their own (such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Sears) and accept their own expired coupons and others will match competitors’ prices. Some stores, like Best Buy and HH Gregg, will not only match their competitors’ prices but they’ll beat them by an additional percentage, generally 10% (of the price difference).
3. Harness the Power of Technology
Use price comparison apps like Red Laser (iPhone) or ShopSavvy (Android). Using the camera on your smartphone, scan the UPC or bar code and using one of those apps, you’ll quickly locate pricing both online and at other local stores. Installing extensions and plug-ins for your browser like Pinx or Camelizer will also help locate lower prices and/or provide the pricing history for the item(s) you’re considering so you can determine whether the price is good enough. For more ideas, check out ModernMom’s pick for best free shopping apps.
4. A Little Holiday Inspiration
Check magazines, home decorating shows, catalogs and websites to find inspiration for your own holiday décor. Search Pinterest.com, a virtual ‘pin board’ where people publicly post their ideas on their own boards so you can have reference for everything at once.
5. Upgrade And Save More Over The Years
An investment in new, more energy-efficient lights can more than pay for themselves in one season. There are solar-powered strings available for outdoor use, which not only doesn’t consume electricity but also offers the additional advantage of skipping expensive and potentially dangerous extension cords.
6. Buy Local Food
By purchasing locally you might find organic and free-range turkey or ham for less per pound than you would normally find conventionally raised items. Many farms deliver to your home, and some have distribution points on designated days. For a searchable database of farms that sell direct to the public, click here: www.eatwild.com.
The options for buying local produce include using Co-ops, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), Farmers Markets, and Organic Buying Clubs. To find some fabuLESS and local sources of produce, go to websites SustainableTable or Local Harvest. Buying local isn’t just a great source of savings, it also helps to support your local economy – doubly fabuLESS!
Savvy shopping guru Jodi Furman is the force behind the national phenomenon LiveFabuLESS.com –a quick, easy, and simple guide on how to live the upscale life without the price!
Be sure to “like” her Facebook fan page, you can find it at www.facebook.com/fabuLESSness and visit her blog at www.livefabuless.com.
